Outlet-box.



N. MARSHALL,

OUTLET BOX,

,LRLIGATIQN FILED JUNE 1909A narran stares PATENT orrion.

NGRMN MARSHALL, 0F NEQUTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TQ ARROW ELECTRIC COMPANY, 0F HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, A CORO mirroir or CONNECTICUT.

0UTLETBOX.

ppliootion filed June l,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Joly 2, i912.

13GB'. Serial N0. 499,505.

To whom it may coficem:

Be it known that l, NORMAN lliAnsimLL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newton, in the county of Middlesex and State olf Massachusetts, have invented certain new and' nsetulrV impro veinents in Cuitlet-BoKes; and l do hereby declare the tollowing to be alfull, clear, and exact description of the inventionj such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to makeand use the saine.

The invention relates to outlet boxes such as are used in connection with interior conduit, systems for electric Wiring, and .more especially to outlet boxes which are adapted for supporting rosettes,Y receptacles and analogous electric fittings.

@ne object of the invention is to provide an outlet box to which an electric litt-ing t may be readily and conveniently secured in any desired position with relation to the atie boit or the pipe end or conductor to which it is attached.

further object lis to provide means whereby a the outlet electric tting' secured to the'hox.

A further object is to provide means on the coven of the outlet hoz; for holding a shade.

` To these ends one feature or", the invention consists in providing an outlet box with means ivv'hereby an electrical device, such as alreceptacle, may be'secured to the box in accordance with 'theloeation of the electrical connections to which it is to be attached, and means whereby the cover may be readily attached to the box and hold the cap ior the receptacle in correct relation with the lbase of the receptacle.

Further features ot the invention relate to means for attaching the pipe end to the outlet box, to the means for socurinpy a cable to the box, and tothe means tor holding a lamp' shade' upon the cover to adapt the outy lei box for use as a lighting fixture.

The various features of the invention will be readily understood from an inspection or' the accompanying drawings, in which an outlety box is shown embodying' the invention in its preferred forni.

In, the drawings Figure i a pl i vv r of the complete outlee nung i a* is :i plan 'if *.ihe voui-liet hf th 'f cover may be readily secured toooX 1n coroct relation' with the' l broken away and in section; Fig. 3 a eenl trai vertical section taken on the line i in Fig. l; and Fig. el is a detail View of one oit the shade supporting arms.

The outlet box shown in the drawings consists of a casing I inetal, and is provided with vseveral aper tures 2 through which the electric conduotors may enter the box, and In which devices :tor securing? the box to the ends of pipes may-be located. These apertures are closed by removable knock-oui; plugsg, any of which may be removed to Aprovidean aperture at the desired point in the box. jecting through the unobstructed apertures are coupling members ti which are threaded externally at their inner ends 8 for a portion of their length, and internally threaded at their outer ends for connection with a. pipe end. A polygonal nut l() engages threaded end 8 and its facets are adapted to engage the bottom of the box to prevent it roi'n turning. By turning the coupling,f member 6 by means of a Wrench, the not -may be tightly drawn against the Wali of 'the box thus securing the Acoupling member in position. The nut is held from turning' by engagement with the bottoni of the box whatever its position on the screw-threaded portion il and no Wrench or other device is therefore required for holding the nut. against rotation Within the box While the parts are being secured together. The parts-may therefore be secured together conveniently and quickly under conditions which would render it iinpracticable to otherwise hold the nut troni turning. A set screw l2 may be threaded through the coupling member near itsouter end where` by B.- cable may be held Within the member instead of a pipe end.

The walls of the box are turned in at its open side to forni an inwardly extending flange 14 which retains a split ring 1G Within the box. AThe diameterof the split ring is such that it underlies the flange and may be utilized as a retaininr;4 the underside of the flange and retaining the cover on the box. The split in the ring allows the ring to be contracted so that it may readily and conveniently pass through the, opening bounded by the flange and may 'then be allowed to expand to a diameter larger 'than the diameter of the opening. 'llie split ring rests upon the nuts l() when the v the interiorofplate tor engaging -the box is open, and thus facilitates the assembling operation when the cover is being attached to the box. The split ring is provided at diametrically opposite points With screw threaded holes 17 tor the reception oi' the securing screws 1S by which the cover and ring are connected together' and are drawn into clamping engagement with opposite sides of the iange when the screws are tightened. The split ring is rotatably mounted in thc box, and is thus adapted to be moved into correct position for holding the cover in place, depending upon which knock-'out plugs are removed.

Mounted upon the bot-tom of the box is an insulating base 22 which is secured thereto by means of screws 24. The base is formed with two transverse grooves or channels 25 and 26 which communicate by means of lateral recesses or channels 27 and 28 respectively with a central circularrecess 30. T he bottom of the recess 30 is raised to form a ledge 32 having a semicircular end and providing a support for the center contact plate 3st ot the receptacle .which is held in place by a screw 36 extending upwardly through the base and threaded into the plate. A. resilient Contact member 38 is secured to the plate Slvby means of a rivet 31), and a binding screw 40 is mounted near the outer end of the plate, by means of which a line Wire 42 may be connected to the receptacle. A screw threaded metal shell 44- is mounted Within the center recess 30, and provided With inwardly turned lianges 45 and flG atits bottom. A screw 47 passes through the ange 46,'and is provided with a nut 48 by means of which the tlange is held againstthe bottom of the recess 3d. A Contact plate 50 overlies the flange Ll5, and is held against the flange by a screw 5l passing through the base 22 and threaded into the plate 50. rl`he plate'() extends through the lateral recess 27 into the transverse recess or channel and is provided near its outer end with a binding screw 52, by means of which thc line Wire is connected to the receptacle. In the present instance the line wires ft2 and 53 are shown passing continuously through the outlet box and the diamctrieally opposite coupling members. Obviously, ,when the box is to be used at the end ot' a line only one opening need be provided, and the ends of the line wires l2 and 525 will be held by the binding screws 4.0 and respectiveiy. rl"he bottom of the bos: is provided with` tourserew threaded. holes for the screws 2% vwhich are symmetrically located so that the base may be mounted in the position shown in the drawing, or at right angles thereto, according to which set ot lcnocloout plugs is removed.

Attached to the cover 20 by means of screws 5G is a cap 58 for the receptacle eouiposed of insulating material. The cap comprises a central annular portion 59 projecting through a hole 63 in the cover 20, and laterally extending anges 60 covering the recesses 27 and 28. The cover is secured to the cap by screws 56. Depending from the under side of the flanges 60 are projections (il and (32 which register with the recesses 27 and 28 respectively, and aid in properly locating the cap with respect to the base when the device is being assemble-fl. In addition the projection 62 forms a iartial in.- sulating vbarrier between the binccing screw 40 and the shell 4a.

Mounted upon the cover 2O are a plurality ot arms 64, each provided with a clamping screwv 6 5 for holding a lampl shade. The arms 6e are bifurcated at their inner ends to form two prongs 66 which are headed over` against the beveled sides of the holes 68 formed in the cover 20, as shown in Fig. 4, to secure the arms to the cover. The outlet box is thus adapted for use as a lighting iiX ture when a lamp is held in the shell 4e; or

a plug may be attached to the receptacle for.

conducting the current to a more remote location.

While I preter'to employ the construction and arrangement ,of device shown and described, it Will be understood that the invention is not confined to thisconstruction, and that the construction and arrangement of the parts may be varied and modified nithout departing from the invention.

Having explained the nature and object of the invention, and speciically described one form of outlet box in which it may be embodied, what I claim is 1. The combination of an outlet box provided with a cover having an aperture, a receptacle ,base or" insulating. material secured to the bottom of the box and having electrical contacts mounted thereon, a cap of insulating material for the receptacle comprising an annular portion extending through the aperture in the cover and laterally extending flanges, and means coperating With the flanges for securing the cap to thecov r, substantially as described.

2, The combination of an outlet box` provided With a cover having an aperture, a re ceptacle base of insulating material secured to the `bottom of the box and having trans- 

